


Annabeth's Sick Day

by LittleLamb99



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan, The Trials of Apollo - Rick Riordan
Genre: Battle of Manhattan, Camp Half Blood, F/M, Fluff, Happy Ending, HoO - Freeform, Luke Castellan - Freeform, Nico di Angelo - Freeform, PJO, Post-TLO, Pre-HOO, Riordanverse - Freeform, The Great Prophecy, The Last Olympian, The Olympians - Freeform, ToA - Freeform, chb, even though I knew what was coming for them, kronos - Freeform, mostly this was me hoping/pretending my kids would be okay, no recent spoilers, olympus, percabeth, percy and annabeth, sick, sick day, sorry for the OC y'all, this is mostly plotless tbh, titanomachy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-30
Updated: 2019-11-30
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:27:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21612997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleLamb99/pseuds/LittleLamb99
Summary: Annabeth gets sick and cancels a date with Percy. Percy stays in to take care of her. General fluff and cuteness ensues. Set post TLO and pre TLH
Relationships: Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson, percabeth - Relationship
Comments: 1
Kudos: 63





	Annabeth's Sick Day

Sick girlfriends are _so_ not my area of expertise. I'd much rather take on a dozen dracaena, or another hydra, or even the Minotaur (again.) To be honest, saving Olympus might have been less stressful.

But instead of a nice, cozy bed at eight o'clock on Saturday morning, I was weaving in and out of traffic on the way to Annabeth's boarding school. My hair was half-brushed, which I was sure she'd scold me for, and my clothes were rumpled. I would have preferred several more hours of sleep to prepare for a nice brunch, but my date also happened to be the head architect of Olympus. Being the center of godly activity and all, reconstruction couldn't simply run on a nine-to-five, Monday-through-Friday work week. I was lucky to be seeing Annabeth at all this weekend, even if it meant the crack of dawn was the only time we could hang out.

Rubbing a hand across my hair (which didn’t help at all), I parked Paul's Prius in the visitor’s lot of the Maspeth Girls’ Academy of Math and Science. The sidewalk where I'd met Annabeth before was already crowded. Figured. At a school like this, Annabeth couldn't possibly be the only super-geek. All of the students were probably on the way to study sessions in the library or science fairs in the auditorium.

But as I shut the car door and made my way into the crowds, I couldn't spot her anywhere. I stood on my toes, hoping to catch a glimpse of blonde curls. No such luck. I sighed, pulling out my emergency cell. A hand-me-down from my mom after my last life-or-death quest, it didn’t get much use. _There's a lot of people here. Maybe I should go somewhere else, in case a monster catches my_ -

“Percy? Percy Jackson? Is that you?” A voice cut through the chatter in the crowd.

Instinctively, my hand went towards my pocket. Usually, when random strangers call me by my name, it’s a sign that I’m about to be attacked. Like with Echidna, on my very first quest. Or the Manticore at Westover Hall. Or that one time when- well, you get the point.

A girl materialized from the crowd, ducking under the arms of a redhead carrying a model Empire State Building. She stood upright in front of me, grinning ear to ear. She was short, sturdy, and nearly as pale as my friend Nico di Angelo. "Ooh, Annabeth was right. You _are_ cute. Nice to meet you!”

The girl stuck out her hand. After a few bewildered moments, I shook it.

"I'm Melissa, Annabeth's roomie. I’ve been sent to deliver a very important message.”

I considered this for a moment. I had a dim memory of the name Melissa. Annabeth had mentioned her in passing, I think- a transfer student, who’d taken the empty bed in Annabeth’s dorm. I couldn’t remember if we were supposed to like her or not.

“Okay, sure,” I said, scratching my head. “Uh, but why couldn’t Annabeth deliver it herself?”

Melissa pursed her lips. “She’s out of commission at the moment. Sent me to tell you that the date is off.”

My mind started racing. “Out of commission? Is she okay?”

Melissa spread her hands between us. “Look, I’m supposed to keep it short and sweet. No date today. That’s all I’ve got. So if there’s nothing else, I’ve got a quiz bowl meeting in the-l”

“I want to see her,” I insisted. “I’m sure you’re a nice girl, but I’d rather hear it from Annabeth.”

“Fine,” Melissa sighed, checking her watch. “I’ve got time to check you into her dorm, but we’ll have to hurry. Try to keep up.” With that, Melissa was bobbing her way through the foot traffic again.

I weighed my options. It didn't look like Annabeth was going to meet me here. Plus, Annabeth's school campus was huge, and I probably would've gotten lost. I had no choice- I'd have to follow this girl.

Melissa darted through the crowds. It took some effort, but I managed to keep an eye on her mop of dark hair. We bobbed and weaved until we made it to Kelley Hall on the east side of campus. Melissa swiped her keycard at a side door, and then pushed me into a stairwell. We climbed three floors and went through a heavy green door, which let out onto a carpeted hall.

Melissa turned to me as we slowed down. "All-girls dorms. No boys allowed. Stick close to me, and if we see any hall leaders, I'm claiming you threatened me at knife-point."

I kept my head down, choosing not to argue. Silently, I wondered what was so important that I had to sneak military invasion-style into a girl's dormitory for. Worry built in my chest.

Finally, Melissa halted in front of one of the rooms. She planted her feet and spread her arms, oh-so-secretively blocking me from view as she kicked me inside. Then she followed me in and shut the door.

Both sides of the room were a disaster. On the left, coffee cups and bottled waters were strewn all over the desk. A laptop on the pastel-pink bed showed a paused YouTube video: _Medical Terminology: The Cardiovascular System._ Maybe a few million throw pillows were piled around it on the bed, and was that a… stuffed giraffe?

The sheer amount of books, papers, and blueprints spread across the right half of the room made it obvious that this was Annabeth's side. Her Yankees cap hung on a white plastic Command hook next to her desk, where Daedalus’ laptop hummed quietly. Her closet was brimming with orange camp shirts. Her bed was a mess, her navy blue and grey blankets mounded into a heap in the middle.

I glanced around the room. One thing was missing, though. "Um, where's Annabeth?"

Melissa pointed at the pile of blankets.

The pile moved.

Melissa sighed dramatically. "She's been like this since last night; it just hit her all of a sudden." She crossed the room and she poked into the wad of blankets. "Time to get up, hun. Your boyfriend's here. I couldn’t talk him out of it. And if you don't want him, by all means, I’d be happy to take him.”

"Ugh. Five more minutes," Annabeth moaned, tossing a pillow half-heartedly. It missed her roommate's head, instead knocking over a stack of textbooks.

Melissa tutted sympathetically. "I'll be going now. Take care of our plague victim for me." She smacked me on the arm (which was supposed to be friendly, I guess, but actually hurt a lot) and dashed out the door.

I crossed over and sat at the edge of Annabeth's bed. "You don't really have the plague, do you?" I peered into the fabric-y depths.

Annabeth emerged slightly. Her eyes were bloodshot and her nose was bright red. Her blonde curls were reduced to a disheveled frizz. "No, Seaweed Brain. I'm just sick." Her voice was groggy and thick.

I furrowed my eyebrows. "You could've called to cancel. I hate to break it to you, but 'brainiac zombie' isn't really my type."

Note to self: Annabeth can still make your insides shrivel up with a glare when she's sick. "I didn't want to use my phone; there was a Cyclops sighting in Ridgewood yesterday. Melissa dropped her cell phone in the toilet, so she couldn’t call for me. Besides, I thought giving her your phone number would be a cruel and unusual form of punishment."

I grinned. "She kind of reminds me of Rachel. But what are you going to do about Olympus?"

Annabeth sighed. "I emailed Chiron and asked if he could get the message to my mom. I think they'll be okay for a while without me."

She propped herself up a bit. She was wearing an oversized Camp Half-Blood t-shirt and a pair of fluffy owl-print shorts. I found myself, smiling- that shirt looked an awful lot like one of mine.

She sneezed again, nudging me out of my thoughts. "I don't want you to get sick. I told her to tell you I couldn't come, not to bring you here. She's a decent roommate, but sometimes she gets… difficult."

"You don't say," I laughed, "but are you okay?"

"I'm pretty sure it's just the flu, but apparently godly meds don't work for RNA viruses, so I'm stuck like this," she groaned, flipping over and burying her face in her pillow. "Go away."

"Annabeth, it’s my _job_ to take care of you," I nudged her with my elbow. "I can't just leave you here alone."

"I could kick your butt anytime I want, Seaweed Brain. Even with the flu. I can take care of myself."

"Aw, c'mon. I picked up groceries last night and left them in the car. I think there’s soup," I offered hopefully.

Warily, Annabeth sat up all the way. "What kind?"

"Ramen?"

She tossed another pillow, smacking me in the face, and pointed to the door. "Go get me some real food, then we'll talk."

* * *

A half-hour later, Annabeth and I were curled up together on her bed with cartons of Chinese takeout. She’d practically inhaled a tub of sticky rice and half a carton of stir-fried veggies when she dropped her chopsticks. " _Ooooh_ ," she moaned.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

She held up a finger and shook her head. A few seconds passed by. “Actually, I think I’m- okay, no, I gonna be sick.” Annabeth bolted off the bed and right out the door.

She came back just as I was starting to worry. She opened the door, pale and shaking. "If there are any porcelain gods out there, I just finished praying to them. You know, you could’ve come and held my hair. Kept me company. Great boyfriend skills.”

Her voice sounded more exhausted than angry. She brushed her teeth in the sink on the far wall and came back to bed.

"Percy Jackson, defender of Olympus, conqueror of the Titan Lord Kronos, and holder of the title 'world’s weakest stomach'. It wouldn't have been pretty for either of us," I told her, clearing away our brunch. I put an arm around her. Her head flopped wearily against my shoulder.

Annabeth grimaced. "You'd better hope you don't get sick too. I don't have enough tissues for the both of us."

She pointed to a box of Kleenex on the floor and I handed them to her. I spoke over the foghorn. "How were things on Olympus before this little..." I waved my hand around her, "detour?"

Annabeth sniffled. "Chiron gave some plans to Athena, but I really need to start working on those extra public restrooms. The last time Ares and Apollo got in a fight about the last stall, it set back construction by a week. I'm not sure we'll even be finished by the solstice, and Hera was planning a big party. Her husband hasn’t been in the best of moods these days, and she was looking to cheer him up."

She looked worried, and I squeezed her shoulder. "Don't worry about it, I'm sure you're doing fine."

Annabeth frowned and blew her nose again, glancing over at her laptop. I knew she probably wanted to be drawing up plans and supervising Olympus' reconstruction, but right now, she didn't even look capable of holding a pencil steady.

Finally, she sighed. "I need a distraction. Read me something?"

"I can barely read to myself, Annabeth," I pointed out.

"I'm dyslexic too, remember?" She snorted, which led into a wracking cough. My eyebrows scrunched together. She took a few deep breaths.

"Pick something from there. Some of it's in Ancient Greek, and some is white-on-black text." Annabeth said, motioning to the tall bookshelf overflowing with paper and books, and was that a... football trophy?

Annabeth saw me looking at it and coughed, this time in embarrassment. "I was kicker for my team in California. Pick something."

"I didn't know you were into football." I pictured Annabeth decked out in football gear, planning strategies and crushing the other team. I wondered if she'd kept any of her old jerseys or shoulder pads. Now _that_ , I'd have to see as soon as she got better.

Her ears reddened. "Shut up and just _pick something._ "

Even though she was sick, I didn't doubt her ability to leap out of bed and strangle me. I slid off the bed and began skimming the shelf. On impulse, I grabbed a small, green, leather-bound book. I turned it over, reading the cover. A piece of peeling masking tape stretched across the front, labeled KEEP OUT.

"Not that, Seaweed Brain!" For a flu-riddled invalid, she sure could move fast. Annabeth scooted across the bed and snatched the journal from my hands.

"Dear diary," I mocked in a high voice, "I love Percy _so_ much. He's just so hot and sexy and amazing and-" Annabeth walloped me with the journal, giving me her death glare again. I held up my hands in defeat.

Annabeth ran her fingers across the cover. "Gods, it’s been forever since I've opened this," she rasped, fingers hesitating over the clasp. "It belongs to- well, it used to be Luke's."

"Oh.” Even after the Battle of Manhattan and Kronos’ defeat, we hadn’t talked much about Luke. I tried my best to ask casually, “When did he give it to you?"

"He didn't," Annabeth said. "When we were twelve, after Luke left, I kind of stole it from his cabin. I don't think he missed it much."

She looked sad and very tired. Not for the first time, I wondered how much Annabeth was still bothered by what happened on my birthday. I was pretty mixed up about it myself, but I tried not to think about those things.

Annabeth turned the journal over in her hands, "I was going to give it to Thalia for her birthday. I'll have to wait until Camp's winter session. The Hunters are planning on stopping by."

I slipped the book out of her hands and slid it back into its spot on the bookshelf. "Sounds like a plan."

Annabeth half-smiled at me, beckoning me back to her side. She pulled the blanket over both of us, and she curled up close against me.

Now, Annabeth didn't have many moments of cuteness. Warrior beauty, yes. But straight-up adorable? This was a first.

"Tell me the myth of Perseus," she suggested, tucking her head under my chin.

I opened my mouth to protest that I couldn't tell her the myth (but not because I didn't read that book of Greek myths she gave me. That would be ridiculous.) Instead, I stuttered "Uhhh..."

She waited. I swallowed thickly. And then I smiled.

"Once upon a time-" I started, but Annabeth cut me off.

"Myths don't start with once upon a time, Seaweed Brain." She groped around for one of her textbooks, _Classical Literature in Context_ , and cracked it open to a section on _The_ _Odyssey_. With a smoothness I knew meant she'd read this a few dozen times, she went over its beginning. I started again.

"Sing, O Muse, of the tale of Perseus, half-blood son of the gods, Hero of Olympus," I intoned in a deep voice, and Annabeth nodded approvingly.

"Perseus was not the greatest of heroes. He wasn't very good at anything in particular and he definitely wasn't the brightest demigod out there. In fact, he didn't even know he was a half-blood until he was twelve. His dad, Poseidon, didn't claim him until weeks later."

Annabeth caught on fast, smiling widely. I continued with gusto. "On a field trip in sixth grade, his math teacher turned into a demon and everything changed. His Latin teacher was a centaur and his best friend was half-goat. Even before he knew what was going on, he saw three old ladies cut a string on a very, very big pair of socks. Remember that," I added.

"Soon, Perseus was on the hunt for Zeus' favorite toy, the master bolt, with his satyr friend and another hero, the daughter of Athena, who should've hated him. Instead, they became good friends." Annabeth giggled, shaking her head at me.

"Perseus went on to sail the Sea of Monsters, defeat the Titan Atlas, and destroy the great Labyrinth. All with the help of his two best friends, and a few others, like his Cyclops brother and his cousins, the son of Hades and the daughter of Zeus."

"But when he was sixteen, things started getting screwy. Typhon was going to attack Olympus and Kronos was going to take the throne again. Once more, Perseus fought with his friends to save the gods. He didn't think they'd make it. But in the end, they won."

"Only sometimes, it doesn't feel like it," Annabeth murmured, jarring me out of my story.

I thought about that. Then I nodded. "Perseus' friend was right. To save Olympus, they'd sacrificed their enemy - who, as it turned out, wasn't really all that bad. Remember those giant socks? The thread had been his. This made the daughter of Athena sad. Perseus was sad, too, but he was also angry."

"So he struck a deal with the gods. Things were going to start shaping up for their demigod children; no half-blood would ever have to be as clueless as Perseus had been. No one would ever have to wonder who their mom or dad was."

"And to make this deal, Perseus had to give something else up," Annabeth said quietly, pulling away to look at me. "The gods of Olympus offered to make him one of them. But he said no. Some people think he didn't want all the responsibility. Others don't believe he was given the offer in the first place. But the daughter of Athena knows better."

I leaned in and kissed her softly, forgoing precautions. Our noses bumped together, but Annabeth just laughed. I chuckled, too.

"And now, Perseus has retired from the big leagues. Or at least, he's trying to. He still has to fight the bad guys sometimes, but he tries to spend more time with his friends. Especially the daughter of Athena."

Annabeth shut her eyes and finished the story for me. "Now, Olympus is rebuilding itself, and the Oracle has issued a new prophecy, one that Perseus plans on sitting out. Things are looking up, and Perseus and the daughter of Athena aren't looking back."

**Author's Note:**

> This is an old piece written sometime in the early days of Heroes of Olympus and originally posted on FF (maybe elsewhere? Not sure). I’m having a PJATO moment and decided to revise this piece after 7ish years. I've got (ambitious) plans to get back into fanfiction, so let me know what y'all think so far! Also let me know if y'all would be interested in other edits/updates of old Percy Jackson fics in the meantime.
> 
> Comments, kudos, and sharing my work mean the world to me <3


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